This research aimed to determine the effect of aerosolized salbutamol administration on systemic and pulmonary hemodynamic, pulmonary mechanics and oxygen balance in healthy horses during general anaesthesia. Six healthy Thoroughbreds (body weight range 471–587 kg) underwent two general anaesthesias in dorsal recumbency with and without aerosolized salbutamol administration in randomized order with a one month washout period. The anaesthesia was induced by 1.1 mg/kg of xylazine, 0.02 mg/kg of diazepam and 2.2 mg/kg of ketamine, maintained with isoflurane in oxygen and air and horses were mechanically ventilated. Measurement of arterial and pulmonary arterial blood pressures, cardiac output and arterial and mixed venous blood gas analysis was carried out. Spirometry was performed using a Horse-lite. After achieving a steady state, baseline (T0) values of cardiac output, systemic and pulmonary arterial blood pressures, heart rate, dynamic compliance, airway resistance and arterial and mixed venous blood gas values and pH were recorded in both groups. In the S-group (salbutamol), 2 µg/kg of aerosolized salbutamol were administered synchronously with inspirium into the tracheal tube. In both groups data were recorded at 15, 30, 45 and 60 min (T15, T30, T45, T60) after the baseline. PaO2/FiO2 ratio, oxygen consumption (VO2), oxygen delivery (DO2), pulmonary shunt values were calculated. Data were tested for normality and compared within each group: T0 value with T15, T30, T45, T60 values using Wilcoxon's test with Bonferoni correction (significance level 0.0125). For each time point, comparisons were made between the S- and C-groups (control) using Wilcoxon's test. In the S-group, there was a significant increase in values (mean ± SD) of cardiac output (l/min), T0 (38 ± 7), a peak at T15 (64 ± 25.5), significantly higher values persisted throughout the period of anaesthesia; heart rate (beats/min), T0 (32 ± 2), T15 (40 ± 6), T30 (38 ± 5); DO2 (l/min), T0 (5.8 ± 0.8), a peak at T15 (9.6 ± 3.2), significantly higher values persisted until the end of anaesthesia and VO2 (l/min), T0 (1.1 ± 0.5), T30 (1.6 ± 0.7) and T45 (1.8 ± 0.5). In the C-group, there was a significant decrease in values of PaO2/FiO2 ratio from T0 (176 ± 67) to a minimum at T60 (114 ± 36) and in DO2 from T0 (6 ± 2.3) to a minimum at T60 (4.3 ± 1.2). A comparison of the S- and C-groups did not reveal any difference in the baseline data. Subsequently, significantly higher values of cardiac output, heart rate, DO2, and the PaO2/FiO2 ratio were found in the S-group compared to the C-group. Pulmonary arterial blood pressure was significantly lower in the S-group. Aerosolized salbutamol administration in healthy horses during general anaesthesia caused hemodynamic changes which resulted in an elevation of oxygen delivery. It can have a positive effect on arterial oxygenation, but the effect varies between individuals.

Licence terms

All contents of the journal is freely available for non-commercial purposes, users are allowed to copy and redistribute the material, transform, and build upon the material as long as they cite the source.

Open Access Policy

This journal provides immediate open access to its content on the principle that making research freely available to the public supports a greater global exchange of knowledge.